


The Long Con

by bitsori



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Meddling Friends, Mutual Pining, Obliviousness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-10
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-09-16 20:55:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16961286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bitsori/pseuds/bitsori
Summary: Hyunjin’s dating life is a Big Fat Mess. ( AU )





	The Long Con

**Author's Note:**

  * For [minshuas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/minshuas/gifts).



> [ 1 ] Merry Christmas! Prompts used include: friends to lovers, obliviousness, fake dating, ~~lots of~~ kissing, pining. I tried to include as much as possible from the prompts given, but I can only hope that I did so cohesively and in a way that you, my recipient, are able to enjoy. Happy reading!
> 
> [ 2 ] Now that the reveals are out, I'm sharing this again through forward-dating the fic. Anyone reading this just now, I hope you enjoy this!
> 
> [ 3 ] Also, this had [this little teaser](https://twitter.com/straykidsmod/status/1072685820606181376) to go with it, when I submitted it for the exchange, hah.

  
  
  


I.

  


“Are you sure this is going to work?”

The real answer is no - even Seungmin doubts it, and he’s the one who had suggested this. He figures though, at the very least, this plan will keep Hyunjin preoccupied long enough.

Long enough for what, though, even Seungmin isn't sure; so instead of being honest with his best friend, he gathers enough energy so he can flash the most supportive smile he can muster.

“Well, what’s the worst that can happen, right?” He asks, as he pats Hyunjin on the back. “Best case scenario, it works and you—” he pauses and wills himself not to outwardly cringe, “—get him back. Worst case, nothing happens and you’re neither worse nor better off than you are now.” He sighs. “I think overall, you just deserve some kind of distraction, Hyunjin.”

  
  
  


Okay, so maybe this harebrained scheme isn’t exactly a Seungmin Original. In fact, the idea is courtesy of one Han Jisung, which, the more Seungmin thinks about it, the more he feels he must be going out of his mind, adopting ideas from _Jisung,_ of all people.

 _What can go wrong?_ Those had been Jisung’s words, as well.

“You and Hyunjin can pretend to date, and if Changbin-hyung reacts any kind of way to it, then won’t it mean he still loves Hyunjin? Then the two of them can stop being idiots, and get back together. Poof! Just like that.” Jisung had made it sound so simple and easy, like it was a simple arithmetic problem comparable to one plus one being two.

“Why does it have to be _me?”_ He asked, and Seungmin couldn’t believe he’s actually engaging in discussion about this.

“Why not you?” Jisung shrugged. “You’re his best friend, and that makes it all the more believable. The whole friends to lovers trope is overused in those those romcom movies you enjoy watching so much, no?”

And maybe that’s it exactly. The part of Seungmin that’s soft and is secretly a hopeless romantic thanks to years of watching cheesy movies and reading sappy books, is the part that had latched on to this idea in the first place. He blames his older sister - maybe if he had an older brother who didn’t choose stupid romance movies whenever he had control of the television, then Seungmin wouldn’t be secretly hoping against hope that this dumb little scheme will play out like they do in fiction, that it will end with his best friend realising that he’s always been in love with him, and that Seungmin will actually get his happy ending.

  
  
  


The funny thing is: Changbin was actually Seungmin’s friend first.

“Friends is stretching it,” Seungmin would argue with anyone who would actually point this out loud, but it would just be him being petty because it’s not like he can change the past just because he tries to tell it differently.

Despite the fact that all three of them are business students, Changbin is ahead of them a year, and the only reason that Seungmin even gets stuck with him in a class is because his overachieving ways prompted him to take an advanced elective as early as his second term in university.

On the first day of classes, Seungmin had spotted Changbin, all alone on a corner, head lightly bobbing along to whatever music was blasting in his ears courtesy of inconspicuous airpods. He didn’t look like he was friends with anyone else, and that, coupled with Changbin’s small frame, led Seungbin to believe that they were two of a kind - two freshmen who didn’t necessarily need to be friends, but who at least should stick together in solidarity when they’re in a roomful of upperclassmen.

By the time he finds out that Changbin is a sophomore who is an entire year older, it’s too late and he’s already stuck and committed to doing the class’ final project with him.

  
  
  


In contrast, Seungmin has been best friends with Hyunjin since they were ten, and Seungmin had shared his lunchbox with him after Hyunjin had stupidly left his in his father’s car. It was never a dramatic or eventful friendship where they went through ups and downs - unless, maybe, if you count the amount of times Seungmin has had to comfort Hyunjin from feeling bad after he's had to turn down one confession after another.

They were just the two of them, Seungmin and Hyunjin, strong and steady and willing to do anything and everything for each other.

  
  
  


“Yooo!” Changbin is waving at them, trying to get their attention, as soon as Hyunjin and Seungmin both set foot outside of the building.

Beside him, Seungmin can feel Hyunjin get fidgety and it takes a lot of restraint for him not to roll his eyes. He doesn’t get it - if it was him, and his boyfriend dumped him, no matter how _nice_ they do it, there’s no way he would have agreed to ‘just be friends.’

Granted, Changbin was thinking more in terms of their group of friends, and how he didn’t want to ruin the overall dynamic just because the two of them broke up - and Seungmin knows this because Changbin told Jisung this, who _of course_ told Seungmin, but even if Changbin didn’t, Seungmin would have figured it out anyway, because Changbin is just… annoyingly (genuinely) that kind of guy. Still, if Changbin told _him_ this, he probably would have shot back, easy,

_Then maybe you should have thought about that before asking him to be your boyfriend._

Seungmin takes the initiative to grab Hyunjin’s hand, making sure how obvious it is when he threads their fingers together. It’s pettiness that's driving him, and he makes sure to catch Changbin's expression when he notices their clasped hands. It's worth it, at least, because he feels Hyunjin relaxing in his hold, even after Changbin lifts a surprised eyebrow at them.

“Chan-hyung wants to know if you're both free this weekend,” he says, and it's obvious how he's making a conscious effort not to look down at their hands. “He’s putting together a movie night at our place. Everyone else is coming.”

Seungmin is trying to quickly come up with an excuse to say no, but before his brain can work it's magic, Hyunjin is already answering for both of them,

“Yeah, sure, we'll both be there!” He’s smiling like he wasn't nervous about running into Changbin just minutes earlier.

Changbin turns to look at Seungmin, and with a sigh, all he can do is nod and agree. Hyunjin is always like this - he can never say no to Changbin, even before they started dating.

The first time Seungmin introduced the two of them, Hyunjin had hung on to Changbin’s every word like he was spouting gospel. It was annoying, but deep inside, Seungmin kind of gets it - the older male, despite his (mostly self-professed) physical shortcomings, has always carried himself in a certain way - confident, but not cocky. Seungmin would admire it more, maybe, if Hyunjin hadn't started acting like Changbin hung stars in the skies.

  
  
  


“You're playing with fire,” Minho warns him, and even without preamble, Seungmin quickly figures out that Hyunjin is the topic on hand. “I don't even think you know what you're doing.”

“It was Jisung’s idea,” is Seungmin’s answer, as if Jisung is some sort of excuse, which of course he isn't and this is why he's quickly met with laughter from the older male.

“That's just even more proof that you have no idea what on Earth you’re doing.”

“Hyung, look—” Seungmin wants to tell him off, wants to reiterate that this is _his_ personal business, but somehow this always becomes hard when it’s Minho. “It’s fine. I’m just distracting Hyunjin.”

“Distracting him from what, exactly?” Minho is never one to mince with words. “From the fact that you’ve been in love with him since you were both in your teens?”

Seungmin almost chokes on the fry he’s eating, but Minho just gives him an odd look. “Hyung, come on,” he almost whines after calming himself down with a gulp of water. “I’m just helping Hyunjin get through a bad breakup.”

“By doing what? What exactly is the difference between you being there for him as a normal friend, versus you pretending to be his boyfriend as he gets over Changbin?” Minho continues to ask good questions to which Seungmin doesn’t really have answers to. “I mean,” Minho adds, “Apart from more hand holding - if you can even call it more.”

And it isn’t even really anything new - the touching, the snuggling - Hyunjin has always been an overly affectionate person, and if Seungmin has been letting the hugs linger a few seconds longer than he normally would have, he just pretends (read: lets Hyunjin believe) it’s because they’re ‘dating’ now and he’s entitled.

“Hyunjin’s a big boy, he can handle himself,” Minho shakes his head. “What are you, his emotional support animal?”

Minho is too honest sometimes and Seungmin finds it really annoying - the problem is that there really isn’t much he can say in the face of truth, so he purses his lips and simply flashes the older man a pained smile.

  
  
  


“There’s an archery arena that just opened up,” Hyunjin excitedly tells Seungmin when he checks his phone for messages. “Felix and Jisung are talking about going - they were all excited too. Wanna come with?”

It’s Saturday morning, and Hyunjin had slept over the night before - ‘for old times’ sake,’ was the excuse, and it’s not like Seungmin was going to turn down time with his best friend.

“Right now? It’s early,” Seungmin counters, after giving his phone a quick glance.

“Jisung says any time is a good time,” Hyunjin looks up. “Let’s meet them after lunch?”

Seungmin shrugs, “We can pretend the bulls eye is Changbin’s face - I’m sure this strategy will help us win.” He’s joking, but despite being sleepy, he knows how to choose words that sting.

“Oi!” Hyunjin chuckles, but his elbow disapprovingly digs into his side. “Let’s leave Changbin-hyung out of this.”

Seungmin just sighs and grows silent. Hyunjin, somehow, takes that as tacit agreement anyway, and he quickly types a response into his phone before he puts it away and leans over to rest his head comfortably on Seungmin’s shoulder.

“I’m still sleepy,” he murmurs, covering his mouth when he yawns.

“Sleep again then,” Seungmin tells him, reaching up and gently patting the side of his head.

Hyunjin hums softly, and when he goes quiet, Seungmin just assumes that he really _did_ doze off. “Seungminnie—” Apparently, however, he’s wrong, because Hyunjin is whispering his name soon enough.

“What is it?”

Hyunjin sighs, and Seungmin would turn to face him, but the way Hyunjin burrows into the crook of his neck, practically snuggling against him, makes it hard to move. “Sometimes I remember when it was just the two of us, and things were super simple - sometimes I miss it.”

Seungmin frowns, unsure of what Hyunjin is trying to say. “Is this about archery this afternoon? We don’t have to go with Felix and Jisung if you don’t want to?”

“No, no— that’s fine,” Hyunjin immediately clarifies, and with a sinking feeling to his stomach, Seungmin realises that perhaps is best friend is once again thinking about Changbin. “Navigating friendships and relationships can get so complicated, the more people there are involved.”

“Hyunjin—” Seungmin finally turns to his side so that they’re facing each other; they’re so close to each other that he can easily study every dip, every curve of Hyunjin’s face. He almost wants to lean in and press his lips against that small beauty mark Hyunjin has under his eye, but he consciously shakes himself out of this reverie, and he tries to focus better. “What are you talking about?”

“Nothing,” Hyunjin answers, and his lips curve into the prettiest smile, but Seungmin knows him well enough to know that he’s been thinking too much again. “You know what?”

“What?”

“For a couple that’s dating, we haven’t really kissed,” Hyunjin drawls, and even amidst his own confusion, Seungmin can feel his heart skip a beat. “We should kiss.”

Seungmin’s eyes grow wide, but words get stuck in his throat. There’s a part of him that wants to agree - no, not really, because it's more than that. There’s a part of him that just wants to go for it - forget about rhyme and reason, Seungmin would be lying if he says that he hasn’t thought about kissing his best friend far too many times before. He imagines Hyunjin’s lips would be as soft and pillowy as they look, and he imagines his own mouth melting into Hyunjin’s as soon as they join together. It’s not as if Seungmin hasn’t kissed anyone before, but he always assumes that kissing Hyunjin would be a better experience than any he’s had before.

“Don’t be silly,” he eventually huffs. “We’re not _actually_ dating, and Changbin-hyung isn’t here to witness any display of affection.”

  
  
  


‘Let’s end this before things get out of hand.’

According to Hyunjin, these are the words that Changbin uses to break up with him. Seungmin had been annoyed, maybe even angry, when Hyunjin had first given him a blow by blow account of their breakup.

_Before things get out hand._

These are the words that especially frustrated him because he didn’t get it. Technically, he still doesn’t - he sees the way Changbin looks at Hyunjin, and it’s obvious that he’s smitten. Not that Seungmin can blame him, because maybe the only reason he can even tell is because he can relate all too well.

_Let’s end this before things get out of hand._

Now he’s thinking maybe these are words he should put to to action himself.

  
  
  


“Hey, Seungminnie, what if we date for real?”

  
  
  
  


II.

  


“Are you sure this is going to work?”

Changbin laughs at Hyunjin - not because anything is funny, but more because he has no idea how to answer the question.

“Well my original suggestion was for you to just tell Seungmin how you feel, but you vetoed that, so—” Changbin shrugs.

“I just—” Hyunjin sighs, and he looks so troubled that Changbin just wants to ruffle his hair - maybe hug his head - and tell him that everything will be okay. Hyunjin is a sweet kid, and Changbin will never not think that he deserves to have not just everything he wants in life, but all that and even more. “I just don’t want to lose Seungmin,” Hyunjin continues, and Changbin keeps his eyes on him, nodding and listening intently. “He’s been my best friend forever, and there’s no way it won’t be awkward if he turns me down.”

“I really don’t think he’s going to turn you down, you know,” Changbin insists, head shaking in disapproval at Hyunjin’s lack of confidence.

“I can’t know that for sure, hyung.” Hyunjin lowers his head as he sighs.

“Well, then, I guess we can give this plan a go?” Changbin is actually wondering if being Hyunjin’s fake boyfriend will earn him a punch from Seungmin, but he chooses not to bring that up for now. “If anything, we’ll have a bit of fun, and then we can dump each other after a couple of weeks, yeah?”

  
  
  


It’s not as if Changbin had pulled the idea out of his own ass. It had come up one day, in the middle of a conversation he had been having with Jisung, of all people.

“Watching the two of them dance around their feelings for each other is kind of frustrating,” Jisung had declared, and Changbin didn’t even have to clarify that he meant Hyunjin and Seungmin, because at that point it had become a pretty common sentiment among their circle of friends.

He only shrugs in response, because he isn’t sure how else to react. “It’s not exactly our business, though,” Changbin says, even though he wholeheartedly agrees with Jisung about the frustration. “Hyunjinnie doesn’t want to do anything about it because he’s scared it’ll ruin his friendship with Seungmin.”

“You know what Hyunjin should do?” Jisung has a scheming grin painted on his lips, the type that can make Changbin fear for his own sanity if Jisung ever talked about him with that kind of expression. “He should pretend to date someone - you know Seungmin, he’ll probably bust a nut if, _when_ that happens. Then Hyunjin will _finally_ realise that he has nothing to lose, and he’ll just go for it.”

Changbin can only give Jisung judgment through pointed stares and critical grunts because there’s _no way_ that kind of ill-conceived idea will work.

But when Hyunjin actually goes to him for advice, it’s like the proper side of his brain refuses to work, and he ends up regurgitating Jisung’s dumb idea to an overly amenable Hyunjin.

  
  
  


“So, we’re together now.”

It’s Changbin who announces it to the group. Hyunjin’s hand is clasped in his, and it surprisingly feels more natural than it should, considering they aren’t really a couple. From the corner of his eyes, he catches Jisung suppress a smirk - and _God,_ he thinks in that moment, there’s no way he’s admitting to the little twerp that this is a fake relationship inspired by his dumbass idea.

“Together?” Chan looks confused, like he’s a bit slow on the uptake, and Changbin supposes he can give the older guy a bit of leeway considering he lives with him, so this news must seem especially out of left field for him.

“Yeah, uh—” Changbin exchanges quick glances with Hyunjin. They’ve discussed a few things about how they supposedly got together, but it became a little awkward when they tried to get into too much detail.

“I confessed,” Hyunjin interjects. His voice is a little shaky at the lie, and without thinking, Changbin squeezes his hand for comfort. “I told hyung I’ve always admired him, and he told me that he feels the same.”

There’s a few confused glances exchanged between their friends, but Changbin pretends not to notice. He grunts to agree with Hyunjin;’s statement, and then Jisung is yelling, “Congratulations!”

Everyone else follows suit after that, and they get a chorus of well wishes. Hyunjin is laughing so merrily - so _purely_ \- that he becomes contagious, and soon Changbin becomes too preoccupied with his own mirth that he completely forgets to check for Seungmin’s reaction.

  
  
  


The truth is: Changbin developed a crush on Hyunjinthe first moment he laid eyes on him.

Who could blame him? In some ways, Hyunjin looks like a prince right out of those old romance manhwas that his older sister used to read as a pre-teen (that okay, maybe Changbin secretly took a peek into every so often whenever he was bored). He was the type of pretty boy that turned heads everywhere, and Changbin just happened to fall under that same spell.

But then they became friends, and Hyunjin became so much more than a visual that’s pleasing to Changbin’s eyes. Hyunjin is sweet, earnest, _genuine_ and every time they’re together, he slowly chips away at Changbin’s heart like he’s trying to carve out space that he can crawl into and make a home out of. He makes Changbin want to make him laugh all the time, because the sound of his laughter is like music to Changbin’s ears.

Changbin is all too aware that he sounds like a twelve year old girl in love, and maybe in a way he is - but unlike an innocent young girl, he’s actually quite perceptive and he isn’t stupid. The two of them might be completely daft and oblivious to how they feel about each other, but Changbin isn’t blind to the way Hyunjin looks at Seungmin, and to the way Seungmin treats Hyunjin in return.

  
  
  


Chan worries, he can tell.

It’s ridiculous because Changbin has more of a reason to worry about his roommate, considering the hours that Chan keeps. But the two of them have always worked as roommates because they both know to leave the other alone unless a Real Intervention is absolutely needed.

Which is why, Changbin knows, that Chan must have thought a lot about it before he finally asks Changbin, “Are you sure that you know what you’re doing?”

It’s been a little over a month since he and Hyunjin had started ‘dating.’ Even Changbin is unsure how they managed to keep the act going for as long as they have, but then it’s not like it took much out of them. Most days they were both busy with their studies, and a lot of their so-called ‘dates’ were just spent at the library, with Changbin sharing old notes and textbooks with a hardworking Hyunjin.

“What do you mean, hyung?” Changbin isn’t good at feigning innocence, but that doesn’t stop him from pretending he doesn’t know what Chan is asking about.

“Oi, don’t give me that,” Chan tuts and shakes his head at him. “You and Hyunjin. That going well?”

It’s funny to Changbin, because Chan isn’t even aware that his relationship with Hyunjin is nothing but pretend; as far as the older is concerned, the main reason for worrying is the fact that Changbin has had a big, fat crush on Hyunjin for at least a year, while everyone and their mom knows that Hyunjin has been pining after Seungmin for much longer. (Except for Seungmin, obviously, but that’s the entire reason why Changbin had been roped into this secret scheme anyway.)

“Of course, hyung,” Changbin assures him readily. “We don’t look in love enough for you?” He asks jokingly, laughing as he throws the older male a teasing grin. “Should I make out with him in front of you next time?”

Every sentence that leaves his tongue is hollow, empty - but Changbin tries his best to make each word sound _real._ He isn’t sure if it works - Chan’s the type to let it slide anyway if that’s what Changbin wants, so all he gets from his roommate is a suspicious look, followed by a supportive smile.

“Alright,” Chan nods. “Just making sure you’re doing fine and good.”

  
  
  


Fact One: Changbin has always been confident about the things he can do, and he has always considered this awareness to be a strong point of his. He’s also always known how to keep his ego in check, so it’s never really occurred to him that this kind of easy, thoughtless confidence can also very well be his downfall.

Fact Two: Changbin likes showing off around Hyunjin because there’s something fascinating in the way the younger’s eyes would light up in amazement whenever Changbin does something _right._ It makes him feel good, impressive, and maybe just a little bit magnificent and it’s a very good, very _addictive_ feeling.

Fact Three: Changbin is a good kisser - at least, he’s never had complaints before, and he’s definitely had his fair share of kisses, both girls _and_ guys. Even Minho complimented him once, and that’s _Minho_ and he certainly knows what he was doing based on that one semi-drunk make-out session that neither of them has mentioned since, but Changbin would wager that it counts.

All these things combined, it shouldn’t be a surprise when Changbin slips through the cracks of logic, and he decides to kiss Hyunjin. It’s not even that late - in fact, it’s the middle of the day, but they’re all alone amidst the dusty stacks of the university library with Changbin trying to help Hyunjin gather all the reading materials he needs for some useless Literature class he signed up for at the beginning of the term.

Hyunjin’s brow is creased as he skims through the pages of a book, trying to figure out if it’s relevant to the paper he’s trying to write. Changbin, on the other hand, can’t take his eyes off him, and when Hyunjin bites down his bottom lip - a sign of his utmost concentration - Changbin just _snaps_.

“Hyunjin-ah,” he calls out softly, and when Hyunjin looks up, Changbin doesn’t waste time before he’s leaning in. He pulls at the front of Hyunjin’s shirt, and then his head is tilting up, lips pressing against Hyunjin’s own tiers.

They’re soft - a little chapped, probably thanks to the stale, dry air in the library, but Changbin doesn’t mind. He isn’t as experience as Changbin is, but Hyunjin has always been a quick study, and that quality proves to be correct even with kissing.

Changbin lets his shirt go, instead reaching up to rest his hand against Hyunjin’s neck, steadying him as he moves his lips against the younger’s, gentle but insistent. He licks at the plump curve of Hyunjin’s bottom lip, and then his tongue is meeting Hyunjin’s, and _fuck,_ he thinks. He knows he should stop, because this isn’t right - it feels _too damn good_ , but Hyunjin isn’t actually his, and the deeper down this hole he goes, the harder it will be for him to crawl back out.

  
  
  
  


“Let’s end this before things get out of hand.”

It’s been three months, and in a lot of ways it feels like they’ve moved past just pretending. Maybe Changbin should feel good about it, except—

Except he doesn’t.

Hyunjin’s expression is blank when Changbin spells the words out for him. Changbin thinks it’s because even Hyunjin is confused by his own feelings now - their fake relationship is a ruse that went on for far too long, and Hyunjin has always been too soft, too easily carried by his own feelings. In some ways, Hyunjin has gotten side tracked, and Changbin can feel himself starting to want to take advantage of that - but he refuses to, not because he’s a better guy than that, but because he knows that if he does, it will be his loss in the end anyway.

“It’s for the best,” Changbin assures him, even managing a casual smirk as he claps Hyunjin on the shoulder. He’s trying to be strong and steady because he’s older, and he should set an example.

“Hyung—” Hyunjin’s expression softens, and he goes from opaque to way too fucking readable. “I’m sorry,” he mumbles, his words coated with regret so thick that Changbin has to look away.

“It’s cool,” Changbin grunts, managing a tiny smile just as he reaches up to ruffle Hyunjin’s hair. “It was a dumb idea, and quite frankly, I’m getting tired of Seungmin giving me scathing glares when he thinks I’m not looking.”

“Hyung,” Hyunjin tries again, but Changbin shuts him up with a smile, and a quick peck to his lips.

“It’s okay, Hyunjin-ah,” Changbin assures him _“It’s for the best.”_

  
  
  
  


III.

  


“Are you sure this is going to work?”

Jisung shrugs, and Hyunjin almost wants to strangle him.

“You’ve tried everything, haven’t you?” Jisung points out; and then he starts ticking his fingers, “You’ve pretended to date Changbin to make Seungmin jealous and that was a bust. You also tried to pretend dating Seungmin to make _him_ realise he’s truly, madly, deeply in love with you and yet— bust! So yes, I think at this point, it’s safe to assume that the only choice you’re left with is pure, unadulterated honesty. You have nothing left to lose, Hyunjinnie, so just ask Seungmin to be your boyfriend.”

One can - and probably should, all things considered - point out that maybe Hyunjin shouldn’t have needed to go through the trouble of pretending to date two different guys if he’d just taken the simplest route straight to An Actual Confession, but it’s just Hyunjin and Jisung, and Hyunjin is the idiot who willingly got himself involved in two laughable fake-dating schemes so he isn’t really one to talk.

  
  
  


The clincher is this: Hyunjin had almost laughed at Seungmin’s face directly when his best friend had suggested that they pretend to date in order to get Changbin’s attention.

 _That was all to see if you liked me enough to care_ , he almost admits, but he doesn’t because somehow reducing the three months he’d spent with Changbin to just that feels like a disservice to the older male.

“What’s the worst that can happen, right?” Seungmin continues, because it seems that Hyunjin’s moment of silence has been interpreted as positive affirmation to the plan.

 _What’s the worst the can happen,_ Hyunjin wonders, more amused than anything else. _Maybe Seungmin is right,_ he thinks. If anything, maybe this will help him gather enough wit and courage to lay his feelings out properly - this is what he tells himself, because apparently he has learned nothing from his original failed experiment.

  
  
  


Hyunjin is nineteen when it dawns on him that he’s actually in love with Seungmin.

High school was almost over, and the entire world was starting to feel like it was closing in on Hyunjin - between student council, regular school, and cram school that ran until late at night it never felt like he ever had time for himself. The only thing he really looked forward to everyday was the thirty minute commute to cram school that made with Seungmin every day; it was only during that half hour, that small pocket of time, that he felt like he could breathe easy and relax.

At first he assumes it’s the bus ride (where, even though it’s always noisy, and packed with other students and other young professionals, Hyunjin and Seungmin usually manage to snag a two seater near the back) and the predictability of the time the bus arrives to pick them up, and the length of time it takes to get them to their destination.

But then one day Seungmin misses the commute in favor of last minute baseball club activities, and suddenly the ride felt twice as long, and thrice as nasty as the rest of the day Hyunjin has had.

And then Seungmin had shown up to cram school, five minutes late to class and looking rushed and haggard - and Hyunjin’s day was right again.

  
  
  


“Hey, Seungminnie, what if we date for real?”

Seungmin is looking at him like he just spoke some kind of alien language, and Hyunjin can’t help but _giggle_ because the expression his best friend is wearing is just too cute.

“Did you hit your head somewhere?” Seungmin is trying to be snarky, but Hyunjin can hear the hint of uncertainty in his tone. He isn’t sure what to make of Hyunjin’s question, which strangely enough, spurs Hyunjin on. For a brief second he can’t even remember why he didn’t just do this to begin with.

 _Oh, right,_ he thinks. It’s because he was afraid of losing Seungmin as a friend - but now he’s more afraid of losing his sanity if continues to keep his feelings to himself, so he takes a deep breath, and he goes on.

“I— I’m serious,” he stammers, but strangely enough, this is actually easier than he thought it would be. Each time he speaks, he feels just a tad lighter, and it’s nice - like his heart had been constricted before, but now it’s beating just right. “Date me for real.”

  
  
  


When they first kiss, Hyunjin ascertains that Seungmin’s lips taste like strawberries and cream.

“You taste sweet,” Seungmin tells him likewise, and in his eyes are a type of happiness that Hyunjin has never seen reflected in them before. “You know they say when someone’s spit tastes sweet to you, it’s because you’re compatible. It’s in the chemistry, or something.”

Hyunjin laugh. He thinks it just might also be the fact that they’ve both just finished sharing a nice slice of strawberry shortcake - but that isn’t really what matters in the moment.

“So, in conclusion…?” He looks at Seungmin, smiling as he waits for an answer.

“So, in conclusion, we’re compatible and we’re both ridiculous for taking so long to figure that out?”

Hyunjin laughs, and Seungmin joins in, the chorus of their cheery cackling is short lived - it’s not long before Hyunjin is leaning in, once again claiming Seungmin’s lips with his own.

“Addictive,” he murmurs. “You taste addictive.”

  
  
  
  
  


(“So you’re telling me that you and Changbin-hyung were supposed to only be pretending to be a couple?” Seungmin looks completely bewildered as he tries to wrap his head around the idea. It’s bad enough that he and Hyunjin have spent half their lives dancing around each other and their feelings - he can’t believe that it had to involve not one, but _two_ pretend relationships, before they were able to finally get their together. Moreover, “And you’re telling me that Jisung was behind _that_ piece of genius?”

Hyunjin shrugs. “That’s what Changbin-hyung tells me.”

Seungmin purses his lips, and he narrows his eyes. “I swear to God, that Han Jisung—” he grumbles, already rolling his sleeves as if he’s preparing to throw hands. “I’m going to give that midget dumbass a nice smackdown!”)

  
  
  
  


_fin._

**Author's Note:**

> [ 4 ] Feedback of any form, as usual, is greatly appreciated!


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